AA Plat Challenge gone wrong so far

[albatross710]

Hi,

I'm currently in the bustling city of Amsterdam and just discovered that BA posted my points to Qantas instead of AA. When I checked-in on the very first leg of my flight the Qantas people entered my QC number into my booking. I asked them to remove it which they assured me they did. Just to be sure when I did get to the QC I checked at the service desk to make sure that the booking definately had the AA numbers in the booking. The agent read back to me the AA number so I thought I was safe.

Over the last couple of days I noticed that the AA points weren't posting. Tonight just checked QFF and unfortunately the points posted there.

I head back to OZ tomorrow night and I assume I will once again ask at check in to make sure the AA number is the number used for the itinery.

Anyone got any other clues before checkin tomorrow night?

BTW, my travellng partner on this same trip was successful in taking the challenge (upon my advice).

 

[Dave Noble]

I would suggest a visit to www.checkmytrip.net

Put the reference locator in and check the details

If under your name it says

Qantas Airways - QFxx_xx_

then they have not removed the Qantas number, so call back and ask again. Iterate till the line is missing

There should be a line

Qantas Airways - AAxx_xx_ ( where xx_xx_ is your AA number ). If this is there and there is no Qantas number, then you should be set

If you find

American Airlines - AAxx_xx_ , then call them to get it removed and then properly re-entered. They often get the format of entering the number in incorrectly

Dave

 

[chrisb]

Hi,

I head back to OZ tomorrow night and I assume I will once again ask at check in to make sure the AA number is the number used for the itinery.

Anyone got any other clues before checkin tomorrow night?

Make sure the FF number on the BP is your AA one - That is going to be the key to getting the points credited - even if it doesn't happen automatically.

Checkin CAN and WILL change this for you - No matter what shows up - Just insist on them putting in the AA number.

I had to do this on my Plat Challenge - The QFF number appeared for every flight, and for every one I got checkin to change it, ensured the right one was on the BP, and it all worked.

Also, if points go to QFF and you have a BP with AA on it, at least you have a chance of getting them moved.

Don't worry about the Itinerary - Worry about the boarding passes.

Chrisb.

 

[Dave Noble]

Don't worry about the Itinerary - Worry about the boarding passes.

If the itinery on checkmytrip is showing it correctly , then all is fine; if checkmytrip shows the QF number in the booking or then AA number in incorrectly, then it is not fine

Don't wait till check in; they are just as likely to get it wrong; even if you can get it done retrospectively, it is a lot more effort than getting it put in correctly by reservations in advance

Dave

 

[QF WP]

What Dave Noble says...confirm first what is showing through Check My Trip.

Then if your QF FF number is showing, ring QF Res and get them to take it out. Then check through Check My Trip that nothing is showing. Then ring back and get them to put in your AA FF number.

When checking back with Check My Trip, it should show up in the format that Dave advised above.

Although this is the long way to do it, it ensures that it is done correctly.

 

[albatross710]

Update

Ok,thanks. Checkmytrip says the following:

Traveler: ....
Frequent flyer: British Airways - AAJ...
Frequent flyer: British Airways - QF004...

I'm actually flying on a BA WT+ ticket,so I will call BA later this morning. Thanks for the tips. Problem seems to be the QF appearing as a backup on there.

BTW BA WT+ is nice, certainly quieter than WT. I'm 6'1 and I must say that for me I didn't find the seat particularly comfortable on the way over. The IFE unit for the forward seat is just in the wrong place. Others travelling with me have reported excellent sleepability on the seats on the way over.

 

[Dave Noble]

Re: Update

Ok,thanks. Checkmytrip says the following:

Traveler: ....
Frequent flyer: British Airways - AAJ...
Frequent flyer: British Airways - QF004...

I'm actually flying on a BA WT+ ticket,so I will call BA later this morning. Thanks for the tips. Problem seems to be the QF appearing as a backup on there.

BTW BA WT+ is nice, certainly quieter than WT. I'm 6'1 and I must say that for me I didn't find the seat particularly comfortable on the way over. The IFE unit for the forward seat is just in the wrong place. Others travelling with me have reported excellent sleepability on the seats on the way over.

Call BA and get QF004... removed and you should be all set . I find WT+ a lot more comfortable than 3rd World Traveller. Personally I loathe night flights in general anyway and do my best to avoid them and get a day one

Dave

 

[albatross710]

Thanks for help

When I wasn't hogging the showers during the transit time at LHR I followed up with the nice lady at the BA service desk in the lounge. She was able to assist but couldn't remove the reference to the QFFF number herself. It took a phone call to the backoffice where they were able to do it immediately.

As a matter of interest on the boarding passes only the AA number has ever printed but that QF number was lurking in the background. checkmytrip tells me that there is only the AA number in there now. My conspiritarorial mind makes me think BA prefers to port the points to QF.

Anyway, time to pack the notebook and prepare to board. Maybe time for one last coffee.

 

[Dave Noble]

Re: Thanks for help

As a matter of interest on the boarding passes only the AA number has ever printed but that QF number was lurking in the background. checkmytrip tells me that there is only the AA number in there now. My conspiritarorial mind makes me think BA prefers to port the points to QF.

Nothing conspiritarorial , just a problem with having multiple numbers in a booking

Dave

 

[JohnK]

Re: Thanks for help

.... My conspiritarorial mind ...

:? :? :?

Never heard of that word. Do you mean "conspiratorial" :?:

 

[QF WP]

JohnK, a quick check notes it was the OP that mis-spelt it, but then Dave Noble used it again (without a , :wink: or :roll. Hmmm, unlike Dave not to comment :shock:

 

[albatross710]

Thanks for checking on that spelling. There I was thinking I had made-up that word.

(BKK QP is well stocked given there are only about 15-20 people in the lounge. Internet access is quite slow from here though.)

 

[Dave Noble]

JohnK, a quick check notes it was the OP that mis-spelt it, but then Dave Noble used it again (without a , :wink: or :roll. Hmmm, unlike Dave not to comment :shock:

I did think of adding (sic) after the word but decided not to in the end

Dave

 

[albatross710]

Points posted to QFF

Just checked on the points this morning and the BA points posted to QFF overnight. The boarding passes showed AA, Checkmytrip only showed AA.

I've got a pretty good paper trail of where thepoints should be going now.

Do I put the case to BA? or to AA?

(Also, QFF has given me an extra 5000 points "CONGRATULATIONS! LOYALTY BONUS 31OCT05" )

 

[QF WP]

No, I would go to Qantas first to get them to reverse the points & SC's and 5K point bonus - send them copies of the BP's and if you want, Check My Trip print out.

Then get something in writing from QF to say they have reversed them. Get a copy of your account (after the reversal) and then send those together with copies of the BP's to AA.

AA will check with QF that they did revrese the points and then when they're happy, will credit your AA account. You need to advise them that the flights were taken in the 90 day window for AA Plat Challenge, otherwise they won't manually process it.

 

[NM]

Its good to see the "challenge" being put back into the AA Platinum Challenge exercise. Too many babies missing their candy lately .

 

[Anna]

I was thinking about enrolling in this, but it's beginning to sound like too much hassle, what with having to ring the US and possibly ring more than once to enrol and then having trouble getting the points allocated right.

Once you've earned the AA points, do you have to ring the US again to be able to use them?

I dunno, I'm happy with gold, do I really need a short cut to platinum when it looks this difficult?

 

[Dave Noble]

I was thinking about enrolling in this, but it's beginning to sound like too much hassle, what with having to ring the US and possibly ring more than once to enrol and then having trouble getting the points allocated right.

Once you've earned the AA points, do you have to ring the US again to be able to use them?

I dunno, I'm happy with gold, do I really need a short cut to platinum when it looks this difficult?

It isn't a hassle really

Phone USA and enrol in challenge
Put AA number into bookings and verify that it is in.... This needs to be done regardless of challenge or not
Do make sure that you do not have multiple FF numbers in your booking.... This really should be done anyway

When points credit, you will become platinum

It isn't difficult, honest

Dave

 

[QF WP]

Anna, just because one person has hassles with their AA Plat Challenge (because they had their QF number in the booking as well as their AA number), shouldn't mean that the same problems are going to befall you. If you are fully informed before you make your booking and only quote your AA FF number, then there isn't likely going to be any problem.

I have enrolled more than a dozen people in the Challenge, Dave Noble probably is onto his third set of fingers and toes. The majority of mine haven't had trouble at all (I've only had trouble when I've rung the clueless (about Plat Challenge) SYD AA staff - that's why you need to contact AA USA). Now you don't have to ring them - if you prefer, you can send an email to AA Customer Service to join the Platinum Challenge by:

1. Firstly, have already joined AAdvantage
2. Go to front screen on AA.com and log on, then click on "Contact AA" (at top)
3. Click on "AAdvantage" in the tree view (not the plus sign)
4. Click on "AAdvantage Customer Service"
5. Go down underneath the physical address and click on the line that reads "Email AAdvantage Customer Service"
6. This will open an email screen. Fill it out and click on "continue". You'll need to include the date you wish the Challenge to start (1st or 16th of relevant month).

My M-i-L just completed her Plat Challenge without a problem - all flights posted within a week of being flown. It was a relatively simple BNE/LHR return (just in two bookings, BNE/SYD/SIN/SYD/BNE and SIN/LHR/SIN).

The point of ringing (or in your case, probably emailing) is to confirm that everything has been put in place properly. The correct preparation is to check you have everything before you do it isn't it :?: Plus if things do go wrong, you have irrefutable proof that it should have been set up (particularly id yuo have email replies from real people who work at AA Customs Service).

But if you want to give up before you've started because you think it's too hard, go right ahead, no skin off our noses. Winners never quit and quiters never win. Nothing surer than you're going to miss out on all the benefits that you are entitled to get. But if you ask us along the way "I have some questions, am I doing the right thing" then we're going to help you get there. Because we know what it's like to have the entitlements of status...it's nice :wink:

 

[Dave Noble]

It is all straightfoward except when ppl decide to ignore the recommendations

(1) Do NOT have any other FF number in the booking
(2) Do NOT call AA in Australia to sign up for the challenge.. Use AAdvantage customer service in the US
(3) If travelling BA/QF , ensure that the FF number has been properly entered by going to checkmytrip.net and verifying that it shows as
Qantas Airways - AAxx_xx if travelling QF or
British Airways - AAxx_xx_ if travelling BA

Dave